Diatessaron, or, The history of our lord Jesus Christ, compiled from the ...

%\6. Jesus, in the hearing of his disciples and of the multitude, reproves the Scribes and Pharisees to their face, with a divine eloquence.

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, saying, "The Scribes and the "Pharisees1 sit in Moses' seat: all therefore "whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe ** and do; but do not ye after their works: "for they say, and do not. For they bind "heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and ** lay them on men's shoulders; but they them"selves will not move them with one of their ** fingers. But all their works they do for to "be seen of men: they make broad their phyulacteries," and enlarge the borders' of their "garments, and love the uppermost rooms at "feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, "and greetings in the markets, and to be called "of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be ye not called "Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; "and all ye are brethren. And call no man "your father upon the earth: for one is your ** Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye "called masters: for one is your Master, even "Christ. But he that is greatest among you

* Expound the law of Moses, and exercise ecclesiastical authority.

b Scrolls of parchment, whereon were written certain precepts of the law which they bound upon their foreheads and arms, and used as charms to keep off evil spirits. Deut. vi. 8.

cThe Pharisees, from ostentation, wore the fringes of their garments very broad. Num. xv. 38.

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"shall be your servant. And whosoever shall ** exalt himself shall be abased; and he that "shall humble himself shall be exalted. But *' woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypo"crites! for ye shut upa the kingdom of hea"ven against men; for ye neither go in your"selves, neither suffer ye them that are entering ** to go in. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pha"risees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' ** houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: "therefore ye shall receive the greater damna** tion. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, *' hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte," and when he is made,' .** ye make him twofold more the child of hell "than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind "guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by *' the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall "swear by the gold of the temple, he is a "debtor!cYe fools and blind: for whether is "greater, the gold, or the temple that sancti** fteth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear "by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever "sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is *' guilty.dYe fools and blind: for whether is "greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth "the gift? whoso therefore shall swear by the "altar, sweareth by it, and by all things ** thereon. And whoso shall swear by the *' temple, sweareth by it, and by him that "dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear

'By the perverse interpretation of the prophets ye hinder the propagation of the gospel.

h Convert. c He is bound to keep his oath.

4if he break his oath.

"by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, "and by him that sitteth thereon. Woe unto "you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for "ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, "and have omitted the weightier matters of the "law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these "ought ye to have done, and not to leave the "other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain "at a gnat, and swallow a camel/ Woe unto *' you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for "ye make clean the outside of the cup and "the platter, but within they are full of extor"tion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee! cleanse "first that which is within the cup and platter, "that the outside of them may be clean also. "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypo"crites! for ye are like unto whited sepul*' chres, which indeed appear beautiful out"ward, but are within full of dead mens bones, "and of all uncleanness." Even so ye also "outwardly appear righteous unto men, but "within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypo"crites! because ye build the tombs of the "prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the *' righteous, and say, If we had been in the "days of our fathers, we would not have been "partakers with them in the blood of the pro"phets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto "yourselves, that ye are the children of them

* A proverbial expression. Ye are exact in small things, but neglect the most important.

bSee Note (") page 79.

"which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then "the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, "ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape "the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, "I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and "Scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and "crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge "in your synagogues, and persecute them from ** city to city: that upon you may come all the "righteous blood shed upon the earth, from "the blood of righteous Abel Unto the blood "of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye "slew between the temple and the altar. Ve"rily I say unto you, all these things shall "come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, '* Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and "stonest them which are sent unto thee, how "often would I have gathered thy chil"dren together, even as a hen gathereth her "chickens under her wings, and ye would not! "Behold, your house is left unto you deso"late. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see "me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is "he that cometh in the name of the Lord V"

* Till ye are convinced by the signal punishments which shall be inflicted, that I am the Messiah, whom ye ought to have received with joy. ... . .

P

117- Jesus prefers the widows offering to the gift of the rich.

And Jesus sat over against the Place. treasury, and beheld how the people Tne cast money into the treasury:1 and simple.6 many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing." And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, "Verily I say unto yon, That this "poor widow hath cast more in, than all they "which have cast into the treasury: for all "they did cast in of their abundance; but she "of her want did cast in all that she had, even uall her living \"c

118. Jesus foretels the destruction of the temple, as he takes his final leave of it: and, on the mount of Olives, teaches four of his apostles what were the signs of his coming, to destroy the Jews, and to close the Mosaic dispensation.

And as he went out of the temple, P1*^"m one of his disciples saith unto him, erusaem

■ The chest, in which were kept all contributions for the use of the temple.

b The fourth part of a Roman penny, not tjuite twq-pence English money.